Although 35 of the 50 states have yet to create the marketplaces known as health benefits exchanges required by the Affordable Care Act, they aren't completely ignoring the law's impending requirements. A majority, in fact, are moving forward on another key component of federal health reform...

For most of the last year, a handful of Republican governors have refused to take action on implementing the Affordable Care Act, preferring instead to bank on the Supreme Court or the November presidential election to send the law to the legislative junk heap. But with all such options now exhausted...